Friday Focus: Transforming the Athletics Department

June 14, 2019

Tori Tragis

— by Keith Champagne, vice chancellor for student affairs and athletics

Tuesday was a very exciting and long day for me. Chancellor Dan White provided me with the awesome opportunity and trust to lead, oversee and manage Nanook athletics, for which I am eternally grateful. I am honored to be assuming my new role at UAF as vice chancellor for both student affairs and athletics.

As I walked around our beautiful campus on the following sunny Wednesday, so many well-wishers and Nanook fans consistently congratulated me. I was repeatedly asked the question, “What will you do and what role will you play in the Athletics Department?” Once I returned to my office, I reflected on the questions posed to me and then I concluded that my role would be to transform Nanook athletics.

In essence, I am going to change the landscape of intercollegiate athletics at the University of Alaska Fairbanks by fully integrating athletics in the university, Fairbanks and surrounding communities. For example:

1. I will integrate the Athletics Department into the Division of Student Affairs and remove any barriers preventing the opportunity for student-athletes to engage in all aspects of campus life;


2. I will improve the relationship between UAF Athletics and the university community of students, faculty, staff and administrators;


3. I will create a new model for UAF Athletics fundraising to generate the funds necessary to accomplish our strategic goals and align resources to achieve financial stability;


4. I will develop and implement a new financial model for Athletics;


5. I will improve community engagement and outreach and marketing to better connect with the Fairbanks and surrounding communities to improve campus connections and partnerships;


6. I will invest in the facilities and infrastructure necessary to compete at the highest level;


7. I will improve the Athletics Department’s relationship with University Relations, the Alumni Association, and the UAF and statewide development offices;


8. I will build an athletics program that is important to all university constituents and improves the relationship between the department and the Fairbanks community;


9. I will improve the Athletics Department’s brand locally, regionally, nationally and globally; and


10. I will improve the Athletics Department’s relationship with various diverse community organizations and Alaska Native corporations.

Moreover, in order to achieve this transformation I will align the right people and I will communicate the new direction for the Athletics Department in all of my words and deeds to all those whose cooperation I need to influence the creation of teams, coalitions and partners who understand and are willing to develop ownership in our vision and the “transformation agenda” I outlined above.

Furthermore, I will work hard to inspire, motivate and energize the entire Athletics Department — its staff, student-athletes, coaches and administrators, and all internal and external stakeholders — to overcome fear, doubt, and major political, fiscal and bureaucratic barriers to change and success.

I believe in UAF, Nanooks athletics and the Golden Heart City of Fairbanks, and I am committed and dedicated to building a program all of our stakeholders will be proud to embrace and celebrate. I am confident that with all of us working together we will succeed in comprehensively transforming the Athletics Department beyond our expectations.

Friday Focus is a column written by a different member of UAF’s leadership team every week.